Reviews
Artist:Amy LaVere
EP:Died Of Love
Label:Archer
Tracks:5
Amy LaVere is one of those musicians who time after time leads listeners to ask why on earth is she not better known. Her powerful husky voice oozes sleaze and cries innocence in equal measure and her diminutive frame, mass of dark curls and coy looks quickly explain why her career is following the twins tracks of music and movies.
Her two previous albums, 'This World is Not My Home' and 'Anchors & Anvils', have shown her to be a consumate musician whose choice of material, whether her own or written by others, tells in tremendous metaphor of a young life that has seen its share of both sides of love. Whilst these two albums were notable for their sumptuous production and delightful instrumentation from the royalty of the Memphis music scene, the line up for this latest offering is her tireless touring trio featuring Amy herself on double bass and vocals, Steve Selvidge on guitar and Paul Taylor on drums.
The little five track EP 'Died of Love' perfectly captures the raw sexual power of the band's live performances. Selvidge's guitarwork, riffing one minute, picking country chops the next, provides the perfect foil for Amy's syncopated bass lines and Paul's jazzy canters on snare and cymbal. The album kicks off with the title track Railroad Boy (Died of Love), a dark tale of love and loss which rolls along to a wicked bass groove and liquid guitar lines straight out of the mid 1970's, then slows to Tom Waits' desperately sad Green Grass. Scotching any suggestion that the album might sink into maudlin reflection, the outstanding third track is Michelle Shocked's If Love is a Train - a rock'n'roll cannon that usually opens the band's live performances. Next up is another mainstay of the band's live set, the spiritual O'Lazarus featuring Selvidge on vocals. The EP closes with a heavy remake of Washing Machine, Amy's self-penned tale of a woman's domestic loneliness and dreams of another life: 'one day soon this is all gonna end, one day soon, maybe it'll all begin' that also appears on 'Anchors and Anvils'.
'Died of Love' is available on itunes and at live performances. The band are expecting to announce a summer 2009 UK tour shortly. www.amylavere.com
Martin Finnigan 31 March 2009